Device to Facilitate Stationary Placement of a Paintbrush

ABSTRACT

An attaching mechanism to attach to a paintbrush. The attaching mechanism comprises a hook so that when the attaching mechanism is attached to a paintbrush, the paintbrush can be hung by the hook on a rim of a paint can.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present inventive concept relates to an apparatus and method tofacilitate placement of a paintbrush while it may be wet with paint in aconvenient and practical position for a painter.

2. Description of the Related Art

When a painter is using a paintbrush to paint a medium, typically thereis no easy way for the painter to put the paintbrush down. If thepainter places the paintbrush down on the floor, then typically paintwill drip off from the paintbrush. Sometimes painters may place thepaintbrush on top of the paint can, but this also subjects thepaintbrush to dripping and falling.

What is needed is a way in which a painter can locate his or herpaintbrush which may be full of paint in a manner in which it will beeasy to reach and will reduce or eliminate unwanted dripping onto aclean surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an aspect of the present general inventive concept to provide aneasy manner in which a painter can temporarily place his or herpaintbrush in a stable position.

The above aspects can also be obtained by a method that includes (a) ahook attached to a shaft; (b) a plate attached to an end of the shaft;and (c) a plurality of teeth attached at an end of the plate, the teethpointing in an opposite direction from the hook.

The above aspects can also be obtained by a method that includes (a)providing an attaching mechanism comprising: (i) a hook attached to ashaft; (ii) a plate attached to an end of the shaft; (iii) a pluralityof teeth attached at an end of the plate, the teeth pointing in anopposite direction from the hook; (b) attaching the attaching mechanismto a paintbrush; and (c) hanging the paintbrush from the hook on a lidof a paint can.

These together with other aspects and advantages which will besubsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as thestructure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention,will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the followingdescription of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1A is a front view of a paintbrush with an attachment mechanismattached to the paintbrush, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 1B is a side view of a paintbrush with an attachment mechanismattached to the paintbrush, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2A is an orthographic view of a paintbrush with an attachmentmechanism attached to the paintbrush, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2B is an orthographic view of a paintbrush with an attachmentmechanism including a tack attached to the paintbrush, according to anembodiment;

FIG. 3A is a front view of an attachment mechanism, according to anembodiment;

FIG. 3B is a side view of an attachment mechanism, according to anembodiment;

FIG. 3C is an orthographic view of an attachment mechanism, according toan embodiment;

FIG. 3D is a rear view of an attachment mechanism, according to anembodiment;

FIG. 4 is an orthographic view of a paintbrush temporarily attached to apaint can using an attachment mechanism attached to the paintbrush,according to an embodiment; and

FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are view of the attachment mechanism showingpossible dimensions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferredembodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to likeelements throughout.

FIG. 1A is a front view of a paintbrush with an attachment mechanismattached to the paintbrush, according to an embodiment.

A paintbrush 100 can be any type of known paintbrush, e.g., any shape,dimensions, etc. An attachment mechanism 102 is attached to thepaintbrush 100 so that the paintbrush can be easily hung from an insideof a paint can (see FIG. 4). A ferrule 103 may come attached to astandard paintbrush. The paintbrush can be made out of wood, or can alsobe made out of any other material, such as plastic, etc.

FIG. 1B is a side view of a paintbrush with an attachment mechanismattached to the paintbrush, according to an embodiment.

A paintbrush 100 is attached to an attachment mechanism 102.

FIG. 2A is an orthographic view of a paintbrush with an attachmentmechanism attached to the paintbrush, according to an embodiment.

An attaching mechanism 102 is attached to a paintbrush 100. Theattaching mechanism 102 has a hole 104 in the attaching mechanism 102 sothat a standard tack (not pictured in FIG. 2A) can be inserted throughthe hole and into the paintbrush 100. The tack would help keep theattaching mechanism 102 attached to the paintbrush 100.

A tack 105 is shown which can be used to press through the hole 104 andinto the paintbrush 100.

FIG. 2B is an orthographic view of a paintbrush with an attachmentmechanism including a tack attached to the paintbrush, according to anembodiment.

An attaching mechanism 102 is attached to the paintbrush 100. A tack 106is inserted through the hole (not visible in FIG. 2B) in the attachingmechanism 102 and into the paintbrush 100. Instead of using a tack, ascrew (or any other attaching mechanism) can also be used in place ofthe tack to screw through the hole 104 and into the paintbrush 100.

FIG. 3A is a front view of an attachment mechanism, according to anembodiment.

An attaching mechanism 102 comprises a plate 109, which can besemicircular in shape, although any other shapes can be used as well(square, rectangular, round, etc.) A pair of teeth 108 is located on atop end of the plate 109. The teeth are used to insert into a paintbrushin order to secure the attaching mechanism 102 into the paintbrush. Theteeth are preferably sharp so that they can puncture the wood materialof the paintbrush and insert (and stay) inside the paintbrush. A tack(not pictured) comprises a head attached to a pin. Hole 104 is used sothat a pin of a tack can be inserted through the hole 104 and into thewood material of a paintbrush.

FIG. 3B is a side view of an attachment mechanism, according to anembodiment.

A hook 110 is used to hang the attaching mechanism 102 (attached to apaintbrush) on a top rim of a paint can (see FIG. 4). A shaft 107connects the hook 110 to the plate 109. Teeth 108 protrude from theattaching mechanism in a direction which is opposite the direction inwhich the hook 110 extends from the shaft 107.

FIG. 3C is an orthographic view of an attachment mechanism, according toan embodiment.

The hook 110 is attached to the shaft 107 which is connected to theplate 109. The plate has a hole 104 and teeth 108 (although any numberof teeth can be used).

FIG. 3D is a rear view of an attachment mechanism, according to anembodiment.

The hole is in the center of the plate 109. The two teeth 108 protrudein a direction which is to be towards the paintbrush which is to beattached to the attaching mechanism.

FIG. 4 is an orthographic view of a paintbrush temporarily attached to apaint can using an attachment mechanism attached to the paintbrush,according to an embodiment.

A paintbrush 100 which has the attaching mechanism attached to it hangsfrom a rim of a paint can 112 by a hook 110 of the attaching mechanism.

FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are view of the attachment mechanism showingpossible dimensions.

The dimensions shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are of course only onepossible configuration of dimensions. It can be appreciated by oneskilled in the art that other dimensions can be implemented as well.

The attaching (or attachment) mechanism can be made of metal, such asaluminum, or any other metal. It can also be made out of any othermaterial, such as plastic, wood, etc.

In this manner, a painter can conveniently hang the paintbrush 100 ontothe paint can 112, thereby allowing paint to drip from the paintbrush100 back down inside the paint can 112. This also frees the painter'shands up to do other things as the painter is not concerned with thesafety or stains of the dripping paint.

The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from thedetailed specification and, thus, it is intended by the appended claimsto cover all such features and advantages of the invention that fallwithin the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, sincenumerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilledin the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exactconstruction and operation illustrated and described, and accordinglyall suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, fallingwithin the scope of the invention.

1. An attaching apparatus to attach to a paintbrush, the attachingmechanism comprising: a hook attached to an end of a shaft; a plateattached to an end of the shaft, the plate comprising a continuouslystraight and flat bottom end, the bottom end being on an opposite end ofthe attaching mechanism than a top surface of the hook, wherein theshaft is narrower than the plate; a hole located in a middle portion ofthe plate, wherein the hook, plate, and shaft are integrated in onepiece.
 2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising aplurality of teeth attached at an end of the plate.
 3. The apparatus asrecited in claim 2, wherein the teeth are pointing in an oppositedirection from the hook.